1. Jim Nill, Detroit Red Wings:
Now in his 15th season as assistant GM in Detroit, he's been GM
material for a long time. And it just so happens that his contract will
soon begin to present itself with annual six-week "out windows" when he
can entertain GM offers from other teams, a source told ESPN.com. The
first window comes this summer. With five Stanley Cup rings and a long
list of late-draft gems on his resume, Nill is a top-notch candidate in
waiting. It would have to be the right fit for him to leave Detroit,
where he's happy and loyal to the Illitch family, but it's a
possibility. You can't go wrong if you name Nill as your GM. He'd be a
superstar hire.

Obviously it's only Lebrun's opinion but the part about his contract is what makes it sound like there's a legitimate chance Jim Nill could be moving on. He's been a big and often overlooked part of the Red Wings success.

With Nil also being a big part of prospect development for the Wings, I have to wonder if Holland's "overly ripe" philosophy was frustrating.

In any case, LeBrun is absolutely right. Nill would be at or near the top of several teams' lists if he were to become available. I've heard/read that he's very happy where he is, and has no intention of moving at the time.

I always had a feeling that Nill would be promoted to GM once Devallano retires and Kenny takes his spot as Senior Vice President. IMO that's one reason why Stevie left because Nill was already the heir apparent.

Jimmy D is already 70y/o so retirement isn't very far around the corner, I doubt Nill jumps ship with a possible promotion so close in sight.

Just my $0.02

Yep. Mr. I will "promote" Kenny out of the GM position after our first round exit.

In any case, LeBrun is absolutely right. Nill would be at or near the top of several teams' lists if he were to become available. I've heard/read that he's very happy where he is, and has no intention of moving at the time.

I saw that too. I thought maybe he won one as a player. Turns out he got close but never did.

You seem to really like to complain about Holland. If you don't like the decisions the have been made in the recent past you must know that Nill has been in on those decision. You praise Bowman and Devellano but you know that Holland was part of that GM threeway. Unless you have some insider information about who was chiefly responsible for which decisions it doesn't seem logical.

You seem to really like to complain about Holland. If you don't like the decisions the have been made in the recent past you must know that Nill has been in on those decision. You praise Bowman and Devellano but you know that Holland was part of that GM threeway. Unless you have some insider information about who was chiefly responsible for which decisions it doesn't seem logical.

Its a favourite line of Holland bashers - Bowman + Devellano get the credit for players drafted in the early-mid 90s because Holland was just a scout. Players drafted by Holland when he became GM in the late 90s, they were nothing to do with him, his scouts like Hakan Andersson did all the work. Head they win, tails you lose

"If I can be totally honest, it's not a lot of guys you get impressed by. Actually, it's no one else but him. From the bench, to see what move he makes -- you're like, 'I wish I could do that.' Sometimes you sit on the bench and just think, 'wow,' and you look over to the other bench and they sit there and shake their heads, too. He has great, great skills. I'm probably not going to play with another player who has the kind of skills he has." Mikael Samuelsson on Pavel Datsyuk

Familiarity breeds contempt. The only people who truly believe Holland isn't what he is are the ones who have spent too long thinking or talking about it and eventually moved on from yeah he's good, to man he's an idiot. One makes for no conversation, the other is extensive msg forum material. We think about it so much that we start to invent reasons why he's an idiot. We just obsess too much. If it were someone else we'd hate whoever it was. When Holland goes, and some time has passed and we don't think about him so much, we'll love the guy. Remember I said this and just wait.

Not sure who the next GM should be. My reasons for it have little to do with Nill. The RW have been at the top of the heap for a long long time. No one in the organization has ever had to rebuild a team before. Now we do. is Nill the right man for that job? I have no idea.

Not sure who the next GM should be. My reasons for it have little to do with Nill. The RW have been at the top of the heap for a long long time. No one in the organization has ever had to rebuild a team before. Now we do. is Nill the right man for that job? I have no idea.

Jim Develanno has absolutely rebuilt a team...When he started with the Wings they were one of the worst teams in hockey and they have never looked back.

That's not the point though as Holland isn't going to be fired regardless of how this season goes. Even if their playoff streak ends, it will be because of an insane rash of injuries combined with a shortened season not because of personnel.

Even with all these guys out the Wings remain in a playoff spot while their farm team is having its best season in years. They also have more high end prospects than they have had in the history of the franchise.

The only way there would be a change at the General Manager position would be if Holland was promoted and Nill was given the GM job.

Jim Develanno has absolutely rebuilt a team...When he started with the Wings they were one of the worst teams in hockey and they have never looked back.

That's not the point though as Holland isn't going to be fired regardless of how this season goes. Even if their playoff streak ends, it will be because of an insane rash of injuries combined with a shortened season not because of personnel.

Even with all these guys out the Wings remain in a playoff spot while their farm team is having its best season in years. They also have more high end prospects than they have had in the history of the franchise.

The only way there would be a change at the General Manager position would be if Holland was promoted and Nill was given the GM job.

But Jimmy d doesn't do much anymore. Plus he is 70+. That also was 30 years ago. It has been a long long time.

The rest is just an opinion and trueth be told means little. we haven't developed a star player in over a decade. The Griff's record has nothing to do with future or current as we saw tonight, success pf the RW.

But Jimmy d doesn't do much anymore. Plus he is 70+. That also was 30 years ago. It has been a long long time.

The rest is just an opinion and trueth be told means little. we haven't developed a star player in over a decade. The Griff's record has nothing to do with future or current as we saw tonight, success pf the RW.

How do you know what Jimmy does and doesn't do for the Red Wings? Sure he's getting up there in age but he's younger than Bowman was when he was still working for the Wings.

The GM is evaluated on the performance of the organization as a whole, not just the performance of the top club. The fact that Holland and company have a farm club stocked with enough talent to battle for 1st in the conference while half the team is called up to fill in for the Wings is not going to be lost on Illitch.

The success of the farm team also showed in spades tonight, Tatar was one of if not the best player on the ice for either team.

How do you know what Jimmy does and doesn't do for the Red Wings? Sure he's getting up there in age but he's younger than Bowman was when he was still working for the Wings.

The GM is evaluated on the performance of the organization as a whole, not just the performance of the top club. The fact that Holland and company have a farm club stocked with enough talent to battle for 1st in the conference while half the team is called up to fill in for the Wings is not going to be lost on Illitch.

The success of the farm team also showed in spades tonight, Tatar was one of if not the best player on the ice for either team.

Do you honestly believe Holland is going to be fired?

Fired? no. Retire, yes. Could be anytime. i expect him to remain club president, but let someone else run things day to day.